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Paschal English is 2nd Griffin Circuit judge to resign abruptly

And the beat goes on … Paschal English, the chief Superior Court judge of the Griffin Judicial Circuit, resigned Friday as questions swirled about his handling of complaints against another judge in his circuit.

English, 65, typed out his resignation letter, dated April 23, saying “it is time for me and my family to concentrate on a different direction in our lives.”

The neatness of English’s resignation letter contrasts with the barely legible handwritten scrawl with which Judge Johnnie L. Caldwell Jr. tendered his resignation on Monday. Caldwell also signed a note agreeing to never hold judicial office again; it was not immediately known whether English had also done so.

Both judges were believed to be the subject of investigations by the state Judicial Qualifications Commission.

The commission does not disclose information about its cases unless formal charges are filed. The Fayetteville Citizen, however, reports that English took no action when a female attorney complained to him in 2008 that Caldwell made sexually inappropriate comments to her.

The attorney, Susan M. Brown, told the Citizen that English told her, “You just have to go talk to Judge Caldwell yourself.”

English told the Citizen this week that he had no knowledge of the JQC investigation of Caldwell or of anything he might have done to prompt an inquiry.

English and the two other Superior Court in the circuit have recused themselves in a divorce case that Caldwell had been handling and in which Brown represented one of the parties.

Brown told the Citizen that Caldwell made inappropriate comments toward her in 2007 and toward two of her female clients in 2008. The Citizen did not disclose Caldwell’s comments to Brown but described them as “risque” and “ribald.”

English is best known outside the judicial circuit for his appearance as a contestant on the CBS television show “Survivor.”

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8 Responses to “Paschal English is 2nd Griffin Circuit judge to resign abruptly”

Does Brown and her client not realize that the turmoil they have caused may come back to haunt them? They may just well get a judge that will give her client next to nothing. Sounds like Brown wants that judgeship for herself. While these two judges may have said or done something that could or have been said differently, both were good qualified judges for many years. And sounds like, from other articles, the JCQ individual overstepped their boundaries. I was in the legal field for 35 years and the firms I worked for had cases before these judges and not one attorney complained about them.

Sure these were upstanding guys. That’s why they resigned. To save themselves the trouble of getting kicked out. And if Atty Brown happens to get a judge that tries to retaliate by giving “her client next to nothing” I’m sure that will get taken up as well. There’s no “could have been said differently” when dealing with sexual harassment. sounds like it’s something that’s come up before and has been swept under the rug by folks not wanting to upset the apple cart. Nowadays, those types of behaviors are unacceptable in the public sector as well as on the bench.

This was a long time in coming. They both ran to save their pensions. The other scandal is how the JQC circled the wagons to protect their own. It is clear in Georgia ethics by attorneys and judges is lip service. We protect our own. This is no longer a profession, but a cut throat business. Too many attorneys, chasing (and creating) cases, not wanting to settle even in their clients’ interests and having implicit arrangements with other attorneys to keep each others’ meters running. Attorneys and Judges know the law they are sworn (and arrogantly profess) to uphold are above it. One judge commits a replusive act, his superior condones it and the regulatory body lets them retire with no sanction or consequence. Even NFL football players have greater consequences. Ask Big Ben.

One more thing. The “former legal secretary” in her defense of both judges expliciting admits the corruption in the system. She clearly states Attorney Brown should consider retribution by other judges. Attorneys know they face this and remain silent due to it. It strikes most thinking people that the abuse must have been outrageous for her to complain with the obvious risks she was taking. Thank you “former legal secretary” for illuminating the true nature of the judicial system.

does this have any affect on prior cases that have gone before them??
and do their judgements still stand??
just curious,all this legalese is a bit complicated for the average joe!!!
and will we ever know WHY they had to resign???

I applaud Ms. Brown for finally calling an elected official out on inappropriate behavior. I wish I had come forward when my Judge did not fulfill her oath to protect those that came before her. I, instead was afraid I would never be able to work in the judicial system again due to no one trusting me. Now I wish I had because many lives were affected due to her not doing her job.

Why did she go to another judge to complain? There is protocal. A doctor doesn’t go to another doctor to complain… they take it up with the board….. She should have followed protocal… not putting judge against judge… she is in the wrong for not filing a formal complaint in writing with the proper person… her just talking smack here and there over 3 years is just silly….. did she pass her bar exam?

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